Stakeholder Engagement in the Garden Route

Sustainability Research UnitBianca.currie@nmmu.ac.za / http://sru.nmmu.ac.za

(044) 801 5111

Ecosystem Stewardship for Sustainability in

the Southern Cape

Research

Consultation

Community participation

Engagement

Practical application

Education

Sustainability Research Unit (SRU)Aims to develop the capacity for the sustainable management of ecological, social and economic systems through user-inspired research, training and policy related work.

The SRU brings together decision makers and researchers from various institutions to address challenges collaboratively

(Community, Mandated organisations, Funders, Research Partners)

Environmental Forums

Water Forums

OudshoornMunicipality

Farmers

Community leaders

Homeowners and Ratepayers

The concept of agencyThe capacity of an agent (a person or entity) to act in a

world (structure)

Being an agent is to intentionally make things happen through action

(Bandura 1998)

Humans are not merely powerless spectators but can be adaptive actors interacting and adapting to the environment if they so choose. (Fabricius et al. 2007)

Impressionistic Overview of an Intelligent Agent

Being an adaptive actor Adaptive capacity is the ability to learn from experience and change the

ways of doing.

How its been so far.

Why is it the way it

is?

How can we do it

differently?

Planning and trying a new

approach

Current project focus

Catalysing change towards more harmonious relationships

between society and the biosphere - a

Good Anthropocene

Multi-scale Adaptations to Global Change in Coastlines

Human-wildlife coexistence

Collaborative Adaptive

Management of Invasive Weeds

Biosphere Stewardship of Garden Route Catchments

Models &scenarios

Engagement through Community Interaction, Service and Outreach

Sustainability dialogues

“The Silo Effect” with SANParks, Eden District and George Municipalities“Barriers and Bridges to Community Participation” with Knysna stakeholders“Engaged research for social ecological complexity” during the SAPECs Winter School

Social learning workshop on participation in water management

Workshops, panel discussions

Engagement through Community Interaction, Service and Outreach

18 participatory mapping workshops with communities in the Wilderness Catchmentarea;4 South Cape Land Initiative (SCLI) workshops about stewardship for invasive alien plant managementParticipated in Dept. of Environmental Affairs-NRM management planning workshop;Partner with SAPECS in hosting a “Good Anthropocene” workshop in Stellenbosch;

SRU / CSIR Touws River Stakeholder workshop Touwsranten Participatory mapping

Engagement through teaching and learning

• Stewardship and Freshwater Ecology module to SNRM

• Social-ecological Systems Winter School for postgraduates and academics

• Postgraduate and under graduate orientation workshops

• IIASA-NRF Young Scholars Support Programme

• Science Faculty postgraduate symposium

• SRU field trips

• Fortnightly Journal Club meetings and writing workshops

• SANParks publications seminar

Philosophy: Take collective responsibility for each other’s learning through group learning, support networks and providing moral and material support

Social ecological Systems Winter School

Social ecological Systems Winter School

Engagement through research and scholarship

• Fabricius is Lead Principal Investigator of an international Belmont Forum project on coastal vulnerability, with community engagement at its core

• 3-year community engagement grant from NRF

• SRU, SANParks and CSIR collaborating on stakeholder engagement for ecological infrastructure management.

• 3-year contract from DEA for technical support and monitoring of invasive plant management

Engagement through profession / discipline based service provision

Professor Christo Fabricius

• International Project Advisory Panel of the UK’s Ecosystems and Poverty Alleviation (ESPA) project (www.espa.ac.uk),

• The Scientific Committee of the Resilience 2014 conference in Montpellier

• Science Director of the Resilience Alliance (www.resalliance.org) (2012-2014).

• Editorial committees of Ecology and Society as well as Koedoe.

• Supervisor in the IIASA-NRF Young Scholar’s Support Programme in South Africa and Austria.

Dr Dirk Roux

• Editorial committee of Conservation Letters and Koedoe.

Impacts and beneficiariesThe community

Stewardship for invasive alien plant management

• Workshops• presented papers • keynote addresses

Impacts and beneficiariesWork closely with a community conservation initiative

The House of Judah, in the Knysna township

Our students as beneficiariesThe postgraduate student numbers have grown from 2 to 15 since inception of SRU.

Scholars have been educated about science and sustainability for the future.

Impacts and beneficiariesResearch outputs

What our stakeholders say….“Over the past five years, SANParks researches and

managers have worked closely with the SRU in strategic planning for ecosystem management, community

engagement, joint funding of a post doctoral researcher and regular workshops to put our vision of connecting

society into action”

(Gill Bunding Venter – GM Garden Route National Park)

“The Eden District Municipality continue to enjoy a productive and beneficial relationship with the SRU which

includes effective partnerships involving a myriad of community programmes and numerous public

engagement programmes.”

(Godfrey Louw - Municipal Manager)

“The SRU provides my mental and physical platform to grow courage, innovation and broad-scale perspectives.”

Lisa Heider, PHD student

What our students say…..Encouraging feedback is received from students about the learning

and growth opportunities offered by SRU.

“The SRU provides a space where I can learn to think critically and communicate effectively.”

Verouschka Sonn, MTech student

“The SRU has not only helped me to learn and grow, but also taught me how to keep on learning by fostering my inquiring

mind.”

Thea Buckle, M Media Student

Impacts and beneficiariesAcknowledged at various events for quality

research, education and stakeholder engagement outputs in the Southern Cape

Fabricius received the SANParks Koedoe Award for excellence for collaborative research

September 2014

Coming together is a beginning;

keeping together is progress;

working together is success

Henry Ford

http://sru.nmmu.ac.za